Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Kneeling on the Ground
Xuan Huaiqing stayed in Shanping County for a few days and then prepared to leave.
The day before leaving, he invited Yu Li, Boss Tu and Zhang Fu to have dinner at Fulai Restaurant.
Young Master Xuan wanted to treat them to a meal, so Boss Tu and Zhang Fu naturally would not refuse.
When he heard that they were going to Fulai Restaurant for dinner, Yu Li readily agreed.
Last time she took her sisters to eat at Fu Lai Restaurant, she found that the taste of the restaurant's dishes was as good as its reputation and worthy of its expensive prices, but the portions were a little small and she was not satisfied with the meal.
Since someone is treating me, of course I have to go.
At noon, the group arrived at Fulai Inn.
Chef Bao of Fulai Inn was a friend of Zhang Fu. When he learned that Zhang Fu had arrived, he came over to greet them personally and said with a hearty smile, "Old Zhang, you're finally here! I'm treating you today. Just tell me what you want to eat."
Zhang Fu introduced him: "Brother Bao, this gentleman is a friend of mine in the prefectural city. He rarely comes to the county town and will leave tomorrow. We are here to practice for him."
When they went out, they all claimed that Xuan Huaiqing was a friend from the provincial capital to avoid exposing his identity.
Chef Bao chuckled and said cheerfully, "I see! All right, I'll cook a few of my specialties for you, little brother."
Xuan Huaiqing followed with a smile and said, "Brother Bao, I'll be waiting then."
He was a casual person who could get along well with anyone, and he did not look down on Chef Bao just because he was a cook.
Boss Tu and Zhang Fu had long been accustomed to his temper. Although they usually chatted and laughed with the young general, they respected him very much in their hearts. Because he was young, they couldn't help but take better care of him.
Chef Bao talked to them for a few words and was about to go back to work when suddenly Master Tu said, "By the way, make more food, otherwise there won't be enough to eat."
This statement caused confusion among Xuan Huaiqing and Chef Bao.
Chef Bao laughed, "Boss Tu, what you said is not right. Why is it not enough? The food in our restaurant is always sufficient." Few diners said that it was not enough.
Zhang Fu also remembered Yu Li's appetite and said, "Listen to Brother Tu, just make more."
Chef Bao looked at them: three grown men and one little girl. Even if they were big eaters, how much could they eat?
He didn't think much of it, but when the food was served, it was obvious that the portions were quite large.
Yu Li buried his head in eating.
After coming to this world, in addition to the meals cooked by Zhou being most to her taste, it is undeniable that the food at Fulai Restaurant is also the most exquisite and sophisticated she has ever eaten.
Because it is so exquisite, the taste is naturally good, and it is different from those small stalls and shops outside.
The food in those small stalls and shops has more of a mortal flavor. Both give her a special feeling, but she loves to eat them anyway.
When Xuan Huaiqing sat with Tu Lao Da and others to eat, there was never a rule of not talking while eating or sleeping.
Thinking that he would be leaving tomorrow, he was planning to chat with Yu Li, but after the food was served, he could only watch her eat without pause.
Watching her finish bowl after bowl, the dishes on the table and the rice in the rice bucket gradually disappearing, he was completely speechless.
Boss Tu and Zhang Fu were used to this and even called the waiter and ordered a table full of food.
If Young Master Xuan wants to treat guests, the guests must be well fed.
They knew that Master Xuan's dinner today was mainly for Yu Li.
The waiter left with a strange look on his face.
Chef Bao had just specifically told him to pay more attention to the guests in this private room. He didn't expect that the guests in this room were such big eaters. No wonder Chef Bao asked him to pay more attention.
Chef Bao, who was busy in the kitchen, had just finished preparing one table of dishes when he heard that Zhang Fu and his team were going to prepare another table. He was immediately surprised.
Really not enough to eat?
In the box, Boss Tu said to the stunned Xuan Huaiqing: "Master, Li Niang is very strong, so she usually eats more, otherwise she will be hungry."
Xuan Huaiqing: “…” This isn’t just eating a little too much, it’s eating a lot, right?
He glanced at Yu Li's slim appearance and wondered why she was still so thin even though she ate so much.
Seeing him staring at her blankly, Yu Li felt a little embarrassed, "Master Xuan, did I eat too much?"
Other people's money is hard-earned, and she won't eat too much just because someone treats her.
Xuan Huaiqing came back to his senses and said immediately, "Of course not! Uncle Tu is right, you are very strong, so it is normal for you to eat more."
Then he turned around and called the waiter who was guarding outside and asked him to add a few more dishes that Yu Li liked.
Waiter: “…”
Yu Li felt that Xuan Huaiqing was a really good person.
That's right, I just saved him, and he has always remembered this favor. Anyone who knows how to repay a favor must be a good person.
However, Yu Li was very restrained. After the waiter served the last dish, he did not let Xuan Huaiqing order more dishes.
After they had eaten and drunk their fill, the waiter cleared the mess on the table and served them tea and snacks after the meal.
Yu Li really liked the lotus root powder and osmanthus sugar cake. When he saw this dessert, he picked it up and ate it slowly.
Xuan Huaiqing asked with concern: "Miss Yu, are you full? If not, I'll ask them to bring some more."
As she continued to eat her snack, he became afraid that she was not full yet.
It's really rude to promise to treat guests but fail to make sure they are well fed.
"It's almost done." Yu Li said, "No need to bother anymore."
The prices at Fulai Restaurant were too high, and even if she wasn't full, she felt embarrassed to let him continue spending money.
Xuan Huaiqing didn't know what she was thinking. He looked a little confused and asked, "Miss Yu, do you usually eat so much?"
The question was a bit rude, but Yu Li didn't care. She nodded frankly and didn't think there was anything wrong with talking about it.
Anyway, everyone who knows her knows that she has a big appetite, and Xuan Huaiqing will also know it in the future.
Xuan Huaiqing had a complicated expression, and finally understood why she wanted to suppress the bandits.
There is a reward for suppressing the bandits, so she can have more money on her hands.
She slaughtered pigs in Zhang Fu's butcher shop. Even if she killed a few more pigs a day, she wouldn't get much money. I'm afraid it wouldn't even be enough for her to have enough to eat.
The more Xuan Huaiqing thought about it, the more he felt sorry for her. He really wanted to take her with him to fight the bandits and collect the reward money.
Thinking of this, he said, "Miss Yu, if there is a need to suppress bandits in the future, I will definitely send someone to notify you and let you go with me."
Yu Li's eyes lit up and he immediately agreed, "Thank you, Master Xuan, you are such a good person."
Xuan Huaiqing looked at her with a complicated expression and sighed in his heart.
It's just asking her to go with us to suppress the bandits, and we may even have to rely on her at that time. What's the good of that?
This girl is indeed as simple as Uncle Tu said. Even though she is stronger, she has never thought of doing whatever she wants by relying on her strength. Instead, she works quietly and earns money.
It would be great if every talented person could be as worry-free as her.
When Zhang Fu and Boss Tu saw the look on his face, they knew what he was thinking and were speechless for a moment.
Then they were glared at by Master Xuan.
Xuan Huaiqing felt that the salary Zhang Fu paid was too low, so that she couldn't even get enough to eat. He decided to go back later and talk to Zhang Fu to ask him to raise Yu Li's salary.
He felt extremely guilty for asking his savior to kill pigs, but he never knew that the money earned from that job was not even enough for her to eat.
How is this repaying a favor?
If the news got out, he would be laughed at, and even his grandfather would come with a gun to scold him.
After dinner, everyone chatted for a while and finally left Fulai Restaurant.
Yu Li said goodbye to them and headed towards the city gate.
Before reaching the city gate, I met Ge the yamen runner.
Seeing her, Ge Yayi was overjoyed and said hurriedly, "Boss Li, so you are here. We were just about to look for you."
Yu Li stopped and asked, "What's the matter?"
The yamen runner Ge first asked, "Boss Li, are you hungry? Have you eaten yet?"
"I just ate some." Yu Li heard him ask this and asked back, "Why, you want to treat me to a meal?"
The yamen runner Ge nodded and said earnestly, "Yes, this time, thanks to you, Boss Li, I was able to show my face in front of the county magistrate. Now I have been assigned to be a constable under the county lieutenant and received a reward... I really want to thank you and treat you to a meal."
He had already figured out when Yu Li would usually leave the city, and he had been waiting for her on her way out of the city.
But I waited and waited but no one showed up, so I had to come over to find her.
Finally he found it, but it was almost noon now, and he didn't know if she would still go to eat?
Yu Li never refused any food, let alone the younger brother who was beaten into submission by her wanted to treat her to a meal, of course she would not refuse.
She felt embarrassed to kill Xuan Huaiqing, but Boss Ge had just received his reward, so it was okay to eat him up.
Seeing that she agreed, Boss Ge hurriedly said, "We have booked a private room in Zhiwei Building and are waiting for you."
"Is anyone there?" Yu Li asked as he walked.
"Old Zhu and Old Peng are both here."
Hearing this, Yu Li was not surprised. The three of them went to Qingshi Village to find her together that day, which showed that they had a good relationship, so it was normal for them to come together.
The two turned around and walked towards Zhiwei Building.
Zhiweilou and Fulai Restaurant are both equally famous in the county, as the two restaurants specialize in different cuisines. Although there is competition, there are often diners with different taste preferences visiting the restaurants, so the business of both restaurants is similar, so it can be considered a draw.
Xuan Huaiqing chose to entertain guests at Fulai Restaurant because Zhang Fu and Chef Bao knew each other.
Ge Yayi and his men chose Zhiweilou because they knew the owner of the building.
The two arrived at Zhiweilou and were greeted warmly by a waiter.
Opposite Zhiwei Tower was a shop selling preserved fruits. Xuan Huaiqing and Tu Lao Da had just come out of the shop when they saw Yu Li and a yamen runner entering Zhiwei Tower.
Seeing this scene, Xuan Huaiqing was a little shocked, "Could it be that Miss Yu didn't eat enough just now?"
This was all he could think of when he saw Yu Li and others entering another restaurant.
It can only be said that Yu Li's appetite just now amazed him and left a deep impression on him. Later, after listening to what Boss Tu said, he realized how big Yu Li's appetite was.
Sure enough, these talented people do have some differences from ordinary people.
Being able to eat is something that is different from ordinary people, right?
Boss Tu narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "It shouldn't be that. It's that the yamen runner wants to see her for something."
Otherwise, Li Niang should have returned to the village by now and would not have stayed in the county town. She has always been simple in her actions and usually does not run around.
"Looking for her?" Xuan Huaiqing thought of something and asked, "The yamen runner just now was the one who went to Qingya Mountain with Miss Yu to suppress the bandits on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival?"
He could recognize Yu Li's figure because her temperament was very unique and he could recognize her once he saw her.
The bailiff had his back to him and he did not recognize him.
Boss Tu nodded, "It should be him."
Xuan Huaiqing frowned, still a little bothered that he had treated Yu Li to a meal but left him hungry, so he decided to go over and take a look.
Fearing that Yu Li would be embarrassed, he did not chase after him to call for help, but dawdled on the road for a while and then pretended to pass by to take a look.
He thought about it and asked Boss Tu: "Uncle Tu, should I give her some money? No, this behavior is too vulgar. How can you give money directly to your benefactor?"
Before he was ten years old, he grew up in the capital, raised by his grandmother and mother. The two mistresses of the Xuan family were typical mistresses of wealthy families and were very considerate in dealing with people.
He was also somewhat influenced by his grandmother and mother and knew that gifts should not be given so directly.
Tu Lao Dadao: "She won't accept it."
He had some understanding of Yu Li's character and knew that she was very principled and did not like to get something for nothing.
She had never taken the fact of saving Young Master Xuan to heart, and repaying him was unnecessary. For her, introducing her to the bandit suppression was already a repayment. Nothing else was necessary, and she would never accept Xuan Huaiqing's money for no reason.
Xuan Huaiqing also knew this and couldn't help but sigh, "Uncle Tu, I really want to help her."
He heard from Boss Tu that Yu Li was already married and her husband was a sickly man. The monthly medical expenses alone were quite high, and she was under a lot of pressure.
No wonder she wanted to suppress the bandits and get the reward.
She was a good girl. She did not despise her sick husband as a burden. Instead, she worked hard to earn money to support him and spend money on his medical treatment and medicine.
Although he has such great ability, he never tries to take shortcuts with it, but makes money in a legitimate way.
Boss Tu smiled and said, "In that case, next time you see a place that needs to be cleared of bandits, notify her to go there."
Government officials in various places attached great importance to the suppression of bandits and were generous with their rewards.
In the past, General Xuan had vigorously cracked down on bandits in this area in order to suppress some illegal forces on the border. Bandits in other places were just as rampant, so if you wanted to suppress them, you could do it anywhere.
Xuan Huaiqing nodded and decided to pay more attention to banditry in various places after returning.
At that time, he would contact the government there and ask Yu Li to go over and help them suppress the bandits, and he would give the reward to her.
**
Yu Li and Ge Yayi were led by the waiter to a private room in Zhiweilou.
As soon as I pushed the door open, I saw a strange scene in the box.
Only the yamen runners Zhu and Peng were there. Opposite them were three scholars wearing scholar's shirts and with humiliation on their faces. They were all young, and the oldest was no more than twenty years old.
At this time, the three men's fair faces turned red and they glared at the two yamen runners with anger.
However, the two yamen runners paid no attention to their anger and sat there lazily, looking like scoundrels.
When Yu Li came in, the two rogue yamen runners quickly stood up and said to her respectfully, "Boss Li, you are here."
The three scholars also turned to look over.
When they saw Yu Li coming in, they were surprised and looked at her in doubt.
Naturally, they also recognized Yu Li.
This is the girl who works in Zhang's butcher shop. On that day, Zhu, the yamen runner, said that he did not see Yu Li in Zhang's butcher shop. There was only a very pretty girl there, and she was not the person that Yu Jingde and his brother described.
For this reason, they went to check it out specially, and the Yu Jingde brothers finally confirmed that she was not Yu Li.
These days, they have been waiting for news from Zhu Yayi.
When they heard that he was going to Qingshi Village to find Yu Li, they felt that the matter was definitely settled.
This afternoon, the private school had just finished its classes and they were about to go for lunch when they were called out by Zhu, the yamen runner who came to the door.
Zhu the yamen runner said he would treat them to a meal and tell them about Yu Li.
After hearing this, the three followed him without any suspicion.
Before coming, the Yu Jingde brothers thought that Zhu Yayi had already frightened Yu Li and were waiting for her to kneel down and apologize to their father one day.
But when he arrived at the private room of Zhiwei Tower, he didn't see Yu Li, but only another yamen runner.
Moreover, they didn't order any food, were extremely rude to them, and wouldn't let them leave, forcing them to stay there.
The three men had been reading for the whole morning and were starving. They were so angry that they were trapped here for more than half an hour and started quarreling with the two yamen runners.
However, these two yamen runners were rough men who had not read much. How could they understand the scholar's flowery curses? They did not care about them at all, which made them almost fall backwards in anger.
This was the scene that Yu Li saw when he came in.
-
Yu Li glanced at the three people and walked into the box.
The servant Ge tactfully closed the door of the box.
The runner Peng hurriedly brought a chair over for her to sit on, while the runner Zhu diligently served her tea and water.
Yu Li sat down calmly, took the tea and took a sip, then looked at the three people calmly.
Chen Zhongxun stood there, staring at her blankly. When his eyes met hers, his face suddenly turned red.
That day, he followed the Yu Jingde brothers to the breakfast shop and saw her delivering goods. Although they were at a distance, he still thought that the girl was very beautiful and the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.
When he learned that she was not "Yu Li", he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
I saw her up close today and found that she is more beautiful than I thought.
Yu Li quickly recognized the Yu Jingde brothers. They were no different from what he remembered. The other one he didn't recognize was probably a member of the Chen family.
After seeing these three people, he finally understood why Ge Yayi brought him here.
But since she was already here, she naturally wouldn't leave and sat down leisurely.
"Who are you?" Yu Jingde stared at Yu Li warily, "What are you going to do?"
Yu Jingli was also a little uneasy, and had a feeling that something was not right.
He didn't quite understand. Wasn't Zhu Yayi the cousin of his second cousin's great-aunt? Why was he so rude to them, but so attentive to the strange girl?
The servant Zhu ignored him.
Peng looked at them with a gloating look and said to Zhu, "Old Zhu, Boss Li is here, we can start now!"
Zhu the yamen runner responded, and while the three people were confused, he suddenly kicked them in the calves.
With a few bangs, the three of them knelt down in front of Yu Li, prostrating themselves on the ground.
Three people: "..."
Zhu Yayi often does this kind of thing. He knows best how to kick people to their knees or even prostrate themselves on the ground. He can be as respectful as possible.
However, he had only dealt with ordinary people before, and this was the first time he did this to scholars.
One of them is his cousin from his uncle's family.
Zhu Yayi felt no guilt. Compared with his own future and the safety of his family, sacrificing his cousin from his uncle's family was nothing.
They can't afford to offend Boss Li, let alone General Xuan.
The three of them were weak scholars, so how could they withstand a kick from Zhu the yamen runner?
They were so shocked that they even lost their reaction and just remained prostrated on the ground, forgetting even the pain in their bodies.
When they came to their senses, their faces flushed red.
They had never suffered such humiliation before, especially in front of a strange woman. It was simply outrageous.
Chen Zhongxun shouted, "What are you doing? Cousin Zhu, do you know what you are doing?"
Seeing that he was about to get up in excitement, Zhu Yayi held his shoulders and said, "Of course I know! Cousin Chen, this is what you deserve."
The Yu Jingde brothers were also excited and wanted to get up, but the Ge and Peng yamen runners came forward and held them down.
They haven't apologized to Boss Li yet, how can they get up?
All three were very excited and struggled violently.
"A gentleman can be killed but not humiliated. What on earth are you trying to do?!" Yu Jingde said sternly, "You are simply lawless. I will definitely go to the county magistrate to sue you!"
Yu Jingli also shouted: "Why don't you let us go? My grandfather is a scholar..."
The three yamen runners were unmoved and rolled their eyes rudely.
What's the point of a scholar's fame? Is she as powerful as Li Lao Da? She is a woman who can cause mountains to collapse, and she killed the bandits without leaving a single piece of armor. She also knows General Xuan. How can a scholar compare to her?
Zhu Yayi said, "Cousin Chen, don't blame me. You are so ignorant that you actually want Boss Li to kneel down and apologize to you. Then you have no choice but to kneel down."
Chen Zhongxun was so angry that he felt dizzy. "When did we let Boss Li kneel down to us?"
"Why not? You invited me to dinner so that I could scare a girl named Yu Li?" He smiled at Yu Li ingratiatingly, "How could I dare to scare Boss Li? They instigated me!"
Chen Zhongxun was stunned.
He finally realized that the "Boss Li" they were talking about was Yu Li.
The girl in front of him was Yu Li from the second branch of the Yu family. She was also the woman who beat his brother and the cousin that made the Yu Jingde brothers very angry...
Chen Zhongxun forgot to react for a moment. He just raised his head and stared at Yu Li who was sitting there.
The same is true for the Yu Jingde brothers.
Their faces were filled with disbelief, their mouths opened in astonishment, and they had forgotten that they were being held down.
"You are Li Niang?!!!"
Yu Li put down the tea he had taken a few sips of and nodded, "I am Yu Li." Then he greeted them politely, "First cousin, second cousin, long time no see."
It's been almost half a year since we last met.
The Yu Jingde brothers didn't expect that she would actually admit it.
How could she be Yu Li? The Yu Li in their memories clearly didn't look like this.
The four daughters of my second uncle were all dark, thin, and rustic, just like the other village girls, with plain looks.
They were used to the dark, thin and ugly appearance of their second uncle's cousins, and never thought they were pretty.
At least their sister Qin Niang is prettier than her cousins.
But how could the Yu Li in front of him look like those cousins in his memory? Although she was dressed simply, her face, her demeanor, and her words and actions after entering were all very imposing, and she didn't look like those country girls at all.
It's like a different person.
Yu Li didn't care that they didn't recognize him, and said, "I heard from the servant Zhu that you, my cousin, want me to kneel down and apologize to my uncle. Is that true?"
The Yu Jingde brothers blushed.
After realizing that the woman in front of them was Yu Li, they were very embarrassed. What was even more embarrassing was that they were forced to kneel in front of her like dead dogs.
This made them a little overwhelmed, and at this moment, the two brothers finally understood how their father felt when he was forced to kneel down.
"Why should I kneel down and apologize to my uncle?" Yu Li asked in confusion.
Yu Jingde said angrily: "If it weren't for you, would the Yu family have split up? You actually made my father kneel down and threatened my grandfather to split up the family..."
Upon hearing this, Ge Yayi and the other two began to tremble.
They looked at each other and thought to themselves that this was indeed something that Li Lao Da could do. She even did not spare her own family, so it seemed normal for them to be beaten by her.
Chen Zhongxun's pupils trembled slightly and his face showed shock. He finally understood why the Yu Jingde brothers insisted that Yu Li kneel down and apologize.
This is kneeling down to apologize to your uncle.
No wonder after the Yu family split up, my uncle fell seriously ill when he returned to the county town. This turned out to be the reason.
Speaking of this, Yu Jingli was also very excited. He struggled and shouted to Yu Li: "Yu Li, it's all your fault! If it weren't for you, my father wouldn't have been seriously ill. He has been unable to recover, my mother has been in tears every day, Zong Ge'er has also been scolded, I..."
As he was shouting excitedly, the door of the box was suddenly kicked open from outside.
The two people who kicked the door anxiously and entered the room fell silent when they saw the scene in the room.
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